Workmen's advocate., 1887-01-22


 daily-ncreaSing poverty of the work ers:"
 Let Us examine more closely the prob lem that is to be solved.
 Two cardinal features characterize our present methods of production and dis tinguish them from those of the past, namely, wages labor and production upon large scale
 Whereas formerly, productive labor was chiefly performed by slaves. scrfs or bondsmen, all rights of ownership in human beings ceased at the French Rev olution. Rightfully, legally. every work er is free and his own master. But as a matter of fact he is anything else rather than free. Cut off from the means and conditions of employment, with no other possession than his force of labor, he is forced to work for wages in the employ of others, and for wages which suffice at the utmost for the bare necessities of life. But if he finds no purchaser for the only commodity at his command, for his force of labor, he ssand his fall into the utmost misery. Yet, despite this wretched insecurity of this position. it will hardly occur to any workman to wish the old conditions back. It is a life worthy of man that he strives for, and he knows that this can be attained only in state of freedom.
 As the French Revolution proclaimed the WOfke';S personally free, SO did it lib crate Mantmdte property from the last shackles of the Middle Ages Without reference to previous restrictions and obligations, whoever was in possession at the moment, found his right to the absolute control of his property recog- nized. This release of property, the ap- plication of steam power which followed soon after, and the general introduction of machine work produced mighty and farreaching transformation in the cX- isting economic and social conditions Handqaft and trade upon a small scale were more crowded into the back ground; production by wholesale the capitalistic method of production took their place. But precarious as this change has rendered the lot of the hand craftsman without means and the small retail dealer, the advantages Gor the development of vilization-connected with production and distribution upon a large scalc) are too weighty for Society ever to renounce them. A general re- turn to production on a small scale by handicraft is as impossible as a return to slavery.
 We must therefore limit the question under consideration as follows How can more equal distribution of the national income in the interest of all he attained without limiting freedom of labor, and without interfering with the progress of civilization won by production on a large scale?
 The answer cannot be doubtful, for us at least; there is but one means to that end: ABOLITION of the WAGE-SYS- ITEM and the substitution for it, of Co., operative Labor.
 Whoever has an open eye for the signs of the the times must recognize that this thought more or less clearly formulated forms the basis of the Labor Movement now making itself felt in every country in Europe, As slavery and serfdom, once necessary social institution also, at last made way for Wage-Labor, so in our day there is coming about a similar change of no less importance, the transi- tion from the Wage-System to free CO., operative work. The important point is that the transformation should take place in the most peaceful way. But this is possible only on condition of the harmonious activity of all the social forces concerned.
 To be cOntinued